Natural Homemade Dog Shampoo Recipe with Neem Oil

Every spring through summer my dachshund enjoys spending his outdoor time rolling in grass and weeds and wildflowers. This inevitably causes his super sensitive skin to break out. As of course a multitude of various skin conditions are common ailments for dachshunds, not just allergies. So last I created a homemade dog shampoo recipe with neem oil after learning about all of its great benefits. I used it on my own dog and then also had friends use it on their dogs. One these dogs in particular was given an expensive prescription shampoo by their vet that didn’t do a whole lot to alleviate the symptoms, so as a last resort they tried my shampoo. Within hours of the first bath the results were obvious. Not only did it help overall but it also eventually cleared up the problem all together. I experienced the same with my dog but without the trip to the vet.

However, I found that my original homemade dog shampoo recipe would separate and I’d have to shake it before every use to keep it mixed. So this year I reinvented the recipe a bit and added in certified organic non-GMO liquid soy lecithin as an emulsifier and thickener. It also has skin softening and moisturizing properties. I added enough lecithin to give my shampoo a cream consistency so if you don’t have a suitable shampoo type bottle you can store this in a jar. For a thinner shampoo, you may use less lecithin. Alternately, in lieu of lecithin you can experiment with using an emulsifying wax or cetyl alcohol per recommended guidelines. However, if you are against using palm oil, you’ll want to opt against these two ingredients as cetyl alcohol is primarily derived from palm oil and emulsifying wax is typically cetyl-stearyl alcohol composed of 50% cetyl alcohol and 50% stearyl alcohol derived from coconut and palm kernel oils.

Ingredients:

Instructions:

Using a digital scale weigh out the shea butter and melt in either a double boiler or a glass pyrex measuring cup in the microwave. Weigh out the lecithin and mix into the shea butter until it also becomes liquid, then combine with the liquid soap and neem oil.

Use a funnel to pour into lotion or shampoo bottles or pour into a jar or other container of your choice. Shake to mix occasionally once it’s almost cooled completely and again once cooled to ensure all ingredients are incorporated evenly. It does try to separate out during the cooling process but stays mixed once all ingredients have cooled.

To use simply apply to your dog’s wet coat and massage in giving special attention to any problem areas. Use once a week as needed until condition clears. For troublesome “hot” spots follow with a natural neem oils salve to affected areas.

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About Rebecca D. Dillon

Rebecca Dawn Dillon is a soapmaker, DIY-er and blogger whose life is controlled daily by a dachshund. You can find more of her natural skin care recipes at The Nourished Life blog as well as right here on Soap Deli News. Or learn more about Rebecca through her new blog at Becca Ink.